Drifting (english translation)
by Fafsernir
Summary: (Adrift) Jack comes back from Flat Holm to find that Owen and Tosh are still here. After sending them home, he realises he doesn't want to be alone, but can he really go to Ianto who has just betrayed him by telling Gwen about Flat Holm? Is this even treason?


_This is a translation of one of my own work, "A la dérive" originally written in French. It's for_ **LDLFF** _who got curious and asked if my stories were the same in French and English (which they aren't) and I told her I could translate one if she wanted. So here we are, that's what I do in French ahah (Also, it was the shortest, 'cause I was feeling lazy today) If you're interested in more, my french ones usually are longer and with more descriptions (well that sounds logical) and I can translate any one :) (Though it can take me a few days)_

 _I think the idea comes from reading the captain's log, on this episode (2x11), with the sentence "After Gwen had gone home, I just held on to Ianto for a couple of hours, as tightly as I could."_

* * *

Jack entered the hub, hid his deception when he didn't see Ianto and called his two employees still present. He couldn't let half of the team in the blur and Jack knew that Gwen couldn't keep the secret for too long. And it was unfair, they had the right to know.

Gladly, they took the news of Flat Holm pretty well. Tosh wanted to help him as soon as she learnt and promised to find a way to predict the negative rift spikes. The hardest was to convince her that she couldn't do it. They came to an agreement and she added it to the problems she was trying to fix on her free time or during quiet days. Owen didn't speak a lot but Jack knew he approved the place, and what Tosh was saying. He finally told them to leave, Gwen and Ianto already home, and stood alone in the hub for a while, not knowing what to do.

He didn't like when Ianto disobeyed him, even if he had never explicitly forbidden him to talk about it to the team, but it was as if he had betrayed him. He had just assumed Ianto wouldn't do it because that's how they worked. They didn't talk a lot but still understood each other easily without speaking. But Jack had taken him for granted. However, he had already learned, at his expense, that the man was ready to die for him as long as he was okay with his choices. So he couldn't blame him. He hadn't done anything wrong. On the contrary, the immortal felt much lighter, freed from a burden he hadn't known was there for so long. Maybe he should have mentioned Flat Holm sooner, by himself.

He couldn't possible punished Ianto for his decision, and he realized that he needed him. As soon as possible.

He locked up the Hub in a few seconds and was out before he even knew where to go. Apart from his apartment, the young man couldn't be in a lot of places... He started the SUV as soon as he was in it.

The ride was quick but long enough for Jack to realize how tired he was. Tired of picking up broken souls the Rift left behind, tired of collecting the pieces of shit spat on the city and around... Every time he visited Flat Holm, it showed him the cruelty of the Rift. And how everybody was powerless, unable to predict it or stop it. He could only bring the victims to Flat Holm. And it was never enough. Every time, he thought he could do something more, anything, and prayed that one day it'd just stop. Seeing them all, lonely and without any progress each time, hurt him so much.

He ran up the stairs and knocked on the door loudly, panting whereas he had not even provided a great effort. He was just panicking He didn't even know why.

Ianto opened the door, surprised to see him. He had changed his clothes, as usual when he was home, but Jack didn't even take the time to look at him. He just threw himself on the man, clasping his hands on his cheeks and kissed him hard, while closing the door with the foot.

Before Ianto could even react, Jack had left his lips and was now holding him close in his arms, his face hidden in his neck. Ianto eventually gave in the embrace and responded, smiling weakly as he slowly stroked Jack's hair.

After a while, he put his hands on the immortal's shoulders so he would let him go. Jack understood and let his arms hang lose by his sides, the nose still buried in Ianto's neck. The younger lifted his coat slowly to let it slip on the floor without once disturbing the man against him. He hooked it on the coat-hanger and ran his fingers under his braces to take them off as well. He carefully unbuttoned his shirt and stopped for a second, thinking. He eventually kissed Jack on the forehead and removed the shirt. He then took his hand and dragged him to his bedroom. He quickly got rid of his belt and shoes and made him lay on the bed. He climbed on it too, turning his back on Jack who pressed against him as soon as he was lying, squeezing him close with an arm. He took a deep breath, trying to calm down, not knowing when he had started to panic. He tightened his hold a bit, enjoying the feeling of Ianto's heartbeat under his hand. He opened his eyes when the pace fastened and waited without a word, knowing Ianto was struggling with his inner self to see if he could talk or not. At last, Ianto moved, turning slowly to face Jack who let his hand rest on his hip.

"I am sorry," he said quietly.

Jack smiled and shook his head then moved his hand to cup his face and kiss him softly. Ianto grabbed his wrist and deepened the kiss. Jack finally broke the contact and caressed his cheek before drawing the man to him. Ianto breathed in his t-shirt, to smell the other man.

"You did good," Jack eventually admitted.

The only proof Ianto gave that he had heard him was a nod which made the immortal smiled. He tightened his hold once again and closed his eyes when he felt hands on his back. They stayed like that for a moment, without a word, until Jack noticed that Ianto's heartbeat had quickened again. "You went there?" he asked to the quiet room. Jack chose to nod his answer.

They didn't talk more for the night, Jack simply holding Ianto against him. He needed to feel he was alive. He felt the moment Ianto slowly drifted to sleep, his respiration calmer and the pressure of his hands gone, but Jack couldn't sleep so easily. He stayed up most of the night, flashes of Flat Holm or his own past going through his mind. And each time, he held Ianto tighter in his arms, glad to have someone he could go home to after all this time.


End file.
